2023 Artuke Pies Negros Rioja

94 pts
A traditional, foot-stomped village wine from Ábalos that balances rustic winemaking with a vibrant, modern profile of dark fruit, fine tannins, and powerful structure.

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Sale price$41.00
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Description

"Pies Negros" literally translates to "black feet," a direct nod to the old-school, traditional practice of foot-stomping the grapes. While the de Miguel brothers are firmly at the forefront of the new wave in Rioja, this village wine from Ábalos proves they still hold a deep respect for authentic, small-scale winemaking. It strikes a brilliant balance between rustic, hands-on methods and a vibrant, modern profile in the glass.

The 2023 release is a blend of predominantly Tempranillo, but it is the 10% to 15% addition of Graciano that really defines the wine's character. The Graciano gives it a serious edge, bringing underlying structure, deep colour, and a cool, driving freshness. The fruit is destemmed, foot-stomped, and naturally fermented before spending about a year maturing primarily in large 500-litre oak barrels, with a small portion kept in concrete to preserve its lively energy.

It's flat delicious, leaning toward precision and depth rather than simple, easy charm. You get dark berries, subtle spice, and a hint of classic Rioja fruitcake, all lifted by a Burgundy-like vibrancy and clarity. The palate is tightly controlled but generous, driven by a velvety mouthfeel, fine tannins, and a poised, energetic finish. It is a serious, powerful Rioja that massively overdelivers on class.

94 points
"Excellent form and feel, great persistence and gentle sweet spice lingers. Wonderful, fragrant, medium weight and tannin drawn expression."
- Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

94 points - "Juicy up front, then the strength of suede tannin comes in and finishes things off. Dark plum, a panforte character, raspberry liquorice, white pepper, aniseed, bergamot tea. Sinewy in a way while also being refreshing. Excellent form and feel, great persistence and gentle sweet spice lingers. Wonderful, fragrant, medium weight and tannin drawn expression." - Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

94 points - "Artuke may be based in Baños de Ebro, but the bodega sources this pairing of Tempranillo and 10% Graciano from 30 different parcels in Ábalos, much closer to the Sonsierra. Aged in older wood, it’s always slightly firmer than Arturo de Miguel’s other reds, at least in its youth, with lots of grip and sinew, cranberry acidity, plum and damson fruit and a top note of subtle, stony reduction." - Tim Atkin MW

93 points - "The dark and serious 2023 Pies Negros is a village red from Ábalos produced with Tempranillo and 15% Graciano, which seems to have given it a serious twist with deep dark fruit aromas and very good freshness. The destemmed but uncrushed grapes fermented with indigenous yeasts, and the wine matured in 500-liter barrels for one year, save for 10% of the volume that was kept in concrete. It has contained ripeness and good freshness and balance, and it's juicy and tasty, with fine tannins and a velvety mouthfeel. Serious is the word. 65,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2024." - Luis Gutiérrez (The Wine Advocate)

93 points - "Showing plenty of cherries and plums, this is solid and crunchy with a touch of white pepper and potpourri. Fine tannins on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Juicy, pristine and pure with a medium-long finish full of fruit. A blend of tempranillo and graciano. Drink from 2026." - Zekun Shuai (James Suckling)

92 points - "Showing plenty of cherries and plums, this is solid and crunchy with a touch of white pepper and potpourri. Fine tannins on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Juicy, pristine and pure with a medium-long finish full of fruit. A blend of tempranillo and graciano. Drink from 2026." - Vinous

Customer Reviews

Price Bracket $41 to $50
Type Red
Body Full Bodied
Variety Tempranillo
Country Spain
Region Rioja
Feature High Score
Reviewed By The Wine Front
The Wine Advocate
James Suckling
Vinous
Critic Score 94
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure Cork

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